AD| 10 ways to save money in 2020

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As a busy mum I struggle to find time to shop for the best deals. In addition to the school run and pick up, I work Monday to Friday. When you add into this equation after school clubs, gym classes and socialising with friends, it leaves little time for anything else.

However, this year I’m determined to save money. In addition to making an effort to actually utilise my savings account, I’m also referring to saving money when it comes to things like my food shop and utility bills.

These are things that I often overlook because I’m in too much of a rush to get through my to do list. So, in a bid to save more money this year I thought I’d put together a list of 10 ways to save money in 2020. Hopefully it’ll help you and me!

1. Shop in-store. This is probably a little different to the usual advice you’ll hear about food shopping. Most people will say to shop online to get the best deals, but with my weekly food bill being in excess of £100, I tend to disagree. So often I just rush through my online shopping without giving much thought to cheaper alternatives. By shopping in store in so called ‘budget supermarkets’ and actively paying attention to what meals you can cook for the week, you can save money and also reduce your amount of food waste.
2. Create a meal plan. Following on from shopping in-store, I’ve found that creating a meal plan is a great way to save money and reduce food waste. By planning your meals for the week you won’t have an excess of food as you’ll only need to buy the ingredients for those meals.
3. Look for free stuff online. My sister is an absolute expert at doing this. She gets so many freebies throughout the course of a year which she can use as gifts for birthdays and Christmases etc. This saves her a fortune and is something I really need to start doing too!
4. Make the most of loyalty cards. When I worked in the city centre I regularly shopped in my local pharmacy for everything from headache tablets to children’s products, hair accessories and even my lunch. Every time I shopped I’d make sure I handed my loyalty card over to the cashier so that I could collect points. At Christmas time I was able to use my points to buy gifts for people which saved me so much money!
5. Make your own packed lunch. Now that I no longer work in the city centre, I tend to make my own lunch. This saves me so much money. Previously it was all too easy to just pop to the shop and buy a sandwich on my lunch break, but now that I work in a small village, which has no local shop within walking distance, it’s easier and ultimately cheaper for me to just bring something into work with me for lunch.
6. Declutter your house. I live by the rule that if I haven’t worn an item of clothing for six months or used a product etc for six months then it’s time to say goodbye to it. Selling such items on eBay or local Facebook groups is a great way to make some extra money, plus it’s also a great way to tidy your home at the same time!
7. Use price comparison websites. I mentioned at the start of this post utility bills and like many people I’m guilty of not shopping around for the best deal. By using comparison websites, you can save yourself a small fortune on your bills.
8. Holiday at home. I don’t actually mean in your back garden, although this can be fun! What I mean is ditch the holidays abroad and plan something closer to home. Staycations are increasing in popularity and it’s no surprise really as they’re usually cheaper than holidays abroad.
9. Save your loose change. This isn’t something that I ever really thought about doing. That was until a friend of mine smashed open heir ceramic money box and counted out almost £500 in loose change! Putting your loose change into a money box and not touching it for a year is a great way to save money without even noticing that you’re doing it.
10. Ditch the car. Do you drive to work? If you do, what costs are involved? Petrol, car parking, congestion charges etc. By ditching the car and opting for public transport or even cycling or walking, you can save yourself a pretty penny.

These are just a few of my ideas of how to save money in 2020. What would you add to the list? Let me know in the comments below.